Brazilian doctors have shared X-ray images of a case in which a patient suffering from cough and headache turned out to be stung by tapeworms for a long time. Scientists say that parasitic diseases are life-threatening, and should pay attention to food hygiene.

And Brazilian doctors revealed that a patient suffering from a cough and headache was harboring hundreds of tapeworms, which translates to “turkey emergency.”

The X-rays, shared by a doctor on Twitter, showed hundreds of bright spots, each representing the persistent remains of a parasite.

What is cysticercosis?

This condition, called cysticercosis, occurs when the larvae of a type of tapeworm that normally lives in the intestine enter tissues such as muscles or the brain.

People become infected with these tapeworms by accidentally eating contaminated food, especially meat, unwashed fruits and drinks. The larvae form cyst-like hard masses that can be felt through the skin.

However, the condition is usually harmless because the tapeworms die quickly, however, cysts left behind by dead tapeworms can cause health problems that can lead to death. Coughing and chest pain can occur when cysts stick to your lungs.

On the other hand, cysts that form in the brain or spinal cord can lead to a condition called neurocysticercosis.

Neurocysticercosis is the most severe form of tapeworm infection and is a common cause of epilepsy and seizures worldwide.

Dr. Vitor Boran de Sousa said the patient came with a complaint of cough and the condition was understood on MRI and X-rays.

In these cases, surgery is usually required to remove the cysts, de Sousa says. Cysts develop months or years after the initial infection with tapeworm eggs.”

A young man loses his life in India

Meanwhile, a teenager in India died last month after collapsing from tapeworm eggs in his brain.

Doctors at ESIC Medical College and Hospital in Faridabad, India, found the 18-year-old had parasitic cysts embedded in the outer layer of his brain.

In this case, doctors said that commonly used anti-parasitic drugs were not an option due to the number of tapeworm cysts, and in severe cases, the drugs could increase inflammation in the brain, making the condition more dangerous.